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Plenty of police leaders promised the apocalypse if Colorado taxed and regulated pot for adults over 21. After six months of retail sales in the state, those law enforcement figures have lost some credibility.

Drug law reform group Drug Policy Alliance released a six month report card on Colorado noting that: “It is far too early to make any definitive declarations about social trends. There are, however, some encouraging signs that have been documented in Colorado since the first retail stores officially opened on Jan. 1, 2014.”

Some talking points:

– crime is down 10.1 percent in Denver from the same period one year ago. Violent crimes have dropped 5.2 percent, according to Uniform Crime Reports. Burglary and robbery rates at medical pot shops have also declined since sales began January 1.

– marijuana sales have generated $10.8 million in taxes in the first four months of 2014, including $1.9 million collected specifically to improve Colorado schools.

– $9 million is flowing to research into the medical efficacy of cannabis.

– 54 percent of Colorado voters remain in support of pot legalization and regulation.

– Colorado home prices are up 8.7 percent in 2014 and Colorado’s governor said legal weed has not tarnished the state’s brand.

For a more broad report card, we can turn to the latest numbers on teen drug use. In 2011, national surveys show 23.1 percent of high school students had used marijuana within the past month. In 2013, it was 23.4 percent, a statistically insignificant difference. Pot use went down nationally among high school seniors, and that was after two states legalized it in 2012.

The New York Timesreports that: “Because of the lag in reporting many health statistics, it may take years to know legal marijuana’s effect — if any — on teenage drug use, school expulsions or the number of fatal car crashes.

It was only in January, for example, that the Colorado State Patrol began tracking the number of people pulled over for driving while stoned. Since then, marijuana-impaired drivers have made up about 12.5 percent of all citations for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.”

Criminal pot cases in Colorado also fell 65 percent in 2013 under the first full year of legalization for personal recreational use, NYT reports. The state could save up to $12-40 million per year not pursuing cases, DPA states.

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